Foot- and- Mouth Disease. lOo 



Although the actual mortality from foot-and-mouth disease 

 is low (probably on an average less than ^ per cent.) the intro- 

 duction of the disease into any country is greatly to be dreaded, 

 because of its intensely contagious character and the temporary 

 depreciation which it causes in the value of the animals 

 attacked. Even in store cattle this depreciation cannot be 

 estimated at less than 11. per head, and when the diminution 

 in the yield of milk is taken into account the loss may be 

 reckoned at nearly double that sum in cows. 



Diagnosis. — Compared with most other diseases, foot-and- 

 mouth disease is not one in which the diagnosis presents much 

 difficulty. But this statement must immediately be qualified 

 by saying that even experienced persons may sometimes find it 

 difficult to say immediately whether a given animal is suffering 

 from foot-and-mouth disease or not. As a rule there is little 

 or no difficulty, and the points which are of most weight in 

 arriving at a decision are that in this disease : 



(1) Vesicular or blister-like lesions are formed both in the 



mouth and on the feet ; and 



(2) There is evidence that the disease is spreading by con- 



tagion. 



Difficulty is most likely to be encountered in suspected 

 cases in sheep or swine, as in these animals mouth lesions are 

 more frequently absent or slight. Hesitation in giving a posi- 

 tive opinion may be justified when only one animal is affected, 

 or when the acute stage of the disease has passed off and the 

 lesions are in process of healing. But even in such cases it is 

 generally possible to distinguish between foot-and-mouth lesions 

 and those that develop from other causes about the mouth or 

 feet. 



In an article which is not written for veterinary surgeons 

 it is not necessary to enter into refinements of diagnosis. On the 

 contrary, the stock owner or other layman should be solemnly 

 warned not to take upon himself the responsibility of deciding 

 whether any suspected case is one of foot-and-mouth disease or 

 not. His duty under the law is to report any justifiable 

 suspicion without delay to the police of the district ; and it is 

 all-important to remember that simultaneous lameness and 

 slavering at the mouth, even in a single animal, ought to raise 

 a suspicion of foot-and-mouth disease. ^ 



John McFadyban. 



Royal Veterinary College, 

 London, N.W. 



' The illustrations in this article are from photographs, by Mr. A. L. 

 Sheather, B.Sc, of specimens kindly supplied by Sir Stewart Stockman, Chief 

 Veterinary Officer, Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. 



